A cooking food processor makes sense if you want to prepare ingredients and cook your usual meals in one appliance, provided its bowl, accessories and cleaning requirements suit your kitchen. If you’re already happy with your cooking appliances, a food processor without a heating function may be all you need to prepare ingredients. For guided cooking, consider a multicooker instead; if you often knead dough, a heated stand mixer may be a better fit.
If you regularly cook from scratch, a cooking food processor can help you move from weighing and preparing ingredients to cooking, all in one appliance. Look at the recipes available and see how well they match the meals you actually make, rather than focusing only on the number of recipes.
If your worktops and cupboards are already full, check how much room the appliance and its accessories will need. If your existing equipment already takes care of cooking, ask yourself whether preparing ingredients is the only extra function you need.
If bread, yeasted doughs and pastries feature regularly on your menu, compare a heated stand mixer with a general-purpose cooking food processor. The right choice depends on how important kneading and whisking are to you compared with preparing savoury meals.
When choosing an appliance for everyday meals, start with the tasks you want it to handle: preparing ingredients, cooking, or both.
Consider it: if you want to combine several preparation steps and cooking for the dishes you make regularly.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to store and clean the appliance and its accessories after use.
Consider it: if you mainly want to chop, grate or blend, and already have suitable cooking appliances.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need separate appliances for preparation and cooking.
Consider it: if kneading and whisking matter as much to you as being able to heat ingredients in the bowl.
Bear in mind: its value depends on how often you use the baking functions; also check its weight and the space it needs.
Consider it: if guided cooking is your priority and you’re happy to prepare ingredients separately.
Bear in mind: on its own, it won’t replace a food processor’s chopping or blending functions.
| Criteria | What to check | What consumers value |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and cooking | Think about a few meals you make regularly. Note which steps the model handles and which you’ll still need to do by hand. | I want to avoid moving food between appliances when making an everyday meal; around 36% of consumers would make this continuity between steps a priority. |
| Recipe access | Check which recipes are stored on the appliance, which are available in the app, and what you need to do to access guided functions. | If I plan to follow step-by-step instructions regularly, I want to know which recipes I’ll be able to access in the long term. For around 21% of consumers, this would be their top priority. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space you have, then check how the accessories can be stored and how each part should be cleaned. | In a kitchen that’s already well equipped, I don’t want to have to get out an appliance that’s difficult to store or clean for every meal; around 29% of consumers would prioritise this practical consideration. |
| Specialist use | Identify the main functions your recipes call for, such as kneading, whisking or pressure cooking. | I mainly make dough that needs kneading, or dishes where I want guided cooking; around 14% of consumers would put this key function first. |
Guided recipes can make it easier to follow the steps for a dish, but they aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor, as Que Choisir points out.
Check which recipes are available directly on the appliance, the terms for using the app and any subscription, including how it renews.
A high-pressure multicooker can guide you through cooking, but it won’t necessarily chop, grate or blend your ingredients.
Take a recipe you make regularly and note down the preparation steps and cooking methods you need separately.
The bowl and accessories can make an appliance awkward to store, even if the main unit fits on your worktop.
Measure the clearance under your cupboards too, and make sure you have room to store every accessory supplied.
Kenwood lists the Cooking Chef KCL96.004DG as weighing 15,25 kg, so bear this in mind if you plan to move it every time you use it.
The number of programmes doesn’t tell you which functions will be useful for your meals or which parts you’ll need to wash afterwards.
Compare the functions that suit your recipes, the bowl capacity and the cleaning instructions for the specific model.
The Thermomix and Cookidoo ecosystem may appeal to households that value guided recipes and meal planning.
Companion and Cookeo meet two different needs: combining preparation and cooking, or focusing mainly on guided cooking.
The Cook Expert may suit households looking to adjust quantities and plan their meals.
The Cookit MCC9555FWC is worth considering if cleaning the bowl and accessories is an important part of your decision.
The Cooking Chef is designed for households looking to combine stand mixer functions with cooking in the bowl.
These two Robby cooking food processors fit the bill if you’re looking for one appliance that combines preparation and cooking. To choose between them, consider which functions you’ll use for your meals and how you can access the recipes, then check that you have enough room for the model you choose and can manage its cleaning requirements.
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Worth considering if you want to combine preparation and cooking for everyday meals.
The product name indicates that it has built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check its dimensions, how the accessories can be stored and the terms for accessing the recipes you’re interested in.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a cooking food processor that can handle several preparation and cooking steps.
The product name indicates that it has built-in scales and a touchscreen. Check the cleaning instructions for the bowl and accessories, as well as the terms for accessing the recipes.
No. Que Choisir says you can use a cooking food processor without guided recipes. If you’d like to follow step-by-step instructions, check which recipes and functions remain available with the model and service you choose.
Check the cleaning instructions for each part you’ll use for your regular recipes, rather than relying on a general claim. Que Choisir recommends checking which parts are dishwasher-safe; Bosch says this applies to the bowl, lid and accessories of the Cookit MCC9555FWC, for example.
A multicooker may suit you if you’re mainly looking for guided cooking and are happy to prepare ingredients separately. If you also want to chop, grate or blend ingredients in the same appliance, compare these functions across the cooking food processor models you’re considering.
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to an individual. Keep your receipt and the product description so you can report any lack of conformity to the seller.